Random bullying

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to discuss the issue of bullying, aspects of its concept and the definition of a new kind of intimidation, known as random bullying. Bullying covers all forms of intentional, persistent, aggressive behavior, occurring without apparent motivation in a relationship between peers in which there is an imbalance of power. Its random mode, however, is characterized by anonymous and non-directed actions to one specific victim, occurring, very often, in the form of traps or ambushes. This article studies, among other things, the definition and characterization of this phenomenon. For this purpose, we conducted a qualitative research, methodologically characterized as descriptive according to its intrinsic goals, and as a field research according to the data collection. From the application of an open questionnaire to 120 college students, we obtained reports of explicit cruelty, which were then discussed according to the phenomenon studied. These reports allow us to establish three main characteristics that differentiate the random bullying from the conventional one: persistent and violent, but not directed, actions; lack of power imbalance; random victimization. 

Key words: random bullying, intimidation, school violence.